Sitting of Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 22786 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Parliament Opening and Announcements 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Sri Lanka Standards Council and Institution Reports 2 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions: Five Citizens' Petitions Presented 5 speeches
- 4 Procedural Procedural Matters: Chief Opposition Whip, Points of Order 9 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Personnel Recruited to Tri-Forces under Direct Entry (Q.1119/2025) 6 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Land Plots at Industrial Park in Poonthottam (Q.1315/2025) 7 speeches
- 7 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order and Ministerial Clarifications 10 speeches
- 8 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order and Privilege Issues 23 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Affected Persons Due to Construction of Broadlands Hydropower Plant (Q.1404/2025) 8 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Sri Lanka Transport Board - Purchasing Spare Parts (Q.1428/2025) 6 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question: Banks and Financial Institutions in Northern and Eastern Provinces (Q.1182/2025) 3 speeches
- 12 Procedural Procedural: Question by Private Notice - Financial Bankruptcy Declaration (SO 27(2)) 13 speeches
- 13 Procedural Ministerial Statements: Debt Sustainability and SVAT Impact 7 speeches
- 14 Debate Debate: Second Reading of 2026 Budget Bill (Day 3, Morning) 13 speeches
- 15 Procedural Procedural: Sitting Suspended for Lunch 1 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate: Second Reading of 2026 Budget Bill (Day 3, Afternoon/Evening) 81 speeches
- 17 Adjournment Adjournment: Termination of Driving Licences for Foreign Tourists (Three-wheelers) 24 speeches
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary The Leader of the House formally moved the adjournment of Parliament. The motion “That Parliament do now adjourn” was proposed by the Presiding Member.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake moved an Adjournment Motion raising concerns over the issuance of driving permits to foreign tourists, particularly for three-wheelers and heavy vehicles, citing increased monthly permit numbers, traffic violations, accidents, and loss of work for local tourism drivers. He referred to Section 132B of the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2009, and questioned the new airport-based permit system and the unapproved Gazette notification. He proposed stopping licences for foreign tourists to drive three-wheelers and heavy vehicles, or alternatively reverting to the former Werahera process and increasing the fee to Rs. 15,000 to limit demand and generate revenue.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala SJB
AI summary Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala seconded the Adjournment Motion on three-wheeler licensing, noting that three-wheelers require distinct handling skills and that issuing licences without adequate training could contribute to accidents. He also raised tourism-sector concerns, arguing that the removal of minimum room rates has led some five-star hotels to sell rooms at very low prices, reducing national revenue. He proposed reconsidering a price floor for five-star hotel rooms to prevent underpricing and encourage higher tourist spending in Sri Lanka.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB
AI summary Hon. Lal Premanath supported reviewing the concerns in the Adjournment Motion while stressing that tourism should be protected and the law applied equally to foreigners and Sri Lankans. He presented data showing that only about 1.17 to 1.29 per cent of tourists from August to October 2025 obtained temporary licences, generating Rs. 13.27 million in State revenue. He clarified that licences issued at Bandaranaike International Airport cover only light vehicles, not three-wheelers or heavy vehicles, while the Automobile Association of Ceylon issues certain permits under relevant road traffic conventions and ordinances. He said there was no evidence of a surge of accidents caused by these licences, but agreed that the issues raised should be examined and acted on if necessary.
- The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised a point of order. No substantive issue or argument was stated in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake briefly intervened to clarify a matter after his name was mentioned during the debate. No substantive policy position, proposal, or question was raised in the recorded statement.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake stated that the issue being raised was not personal to him but had been brought forward by companies and citizens from Sinhala, Buddhist, Tamil, and Muslim communities. He argued that the concern was not about small monetary amounts such as Rs. 100 or Rs. 200, but about losses to the country, and questioned why similar issues were not arising in countries such as India.
Cost of Living Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna supported the Adjournment Motion concerning the cessation of issuing driving licences to foreign tourists, noting the importance of tourism income, particularly from the European Union. He then raised allegations of corruption in the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project, citing World Bank and EU funding from 2019 to 2025 and claiming that Rs. 20 million of EU funds had been spent on painting a rented building, naming individuals he said were connected to the matter.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna briefly indicated that he wished to address the issue of foreign funds entering Sri Lanka. No specific proposals, questions, or policy details were provided in the speech excerpt.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna questioned the Government’s response to alleged corruption involving foreign funds, arguing that failure to act would deter foreigners from coming to Sri Lanka. Referring to discussions on licences for foreign tourists to drive three-wheelers, he said the House should also address alleged misuse of foreign aid and stated that he had submitted five corruption-related documents. He claimed that no corruption case had yet been uncovered in the Northern Province under the current Government, citing large renovation expenditures on rented houses as examples.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna identified Dr. Rohan Wijekoon as the then Project Director in relation to an alleged corruption matter. He stated that he was tabling the relevant documents, which were placed in the Library.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna warned that continued inaction by the Anura Government on corruption could undermine its ability to govern or act effectively in the Northern Province within five years. He framed the issue as an urgent governance concern and concluded his remarks briefly.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. (Mrs.) Thushari Jayasingha, Attorney-at-Law JJB
AI summary Hon. Thushari Jayasingha stated that temporary driving permits issued at the airport apply only to certain vehicle categories and account for a small share of arrivals, while three-wheeler authorizations are handled by the Automobile Association of Ceylon under Sri Lanka’s obligations under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. She argued that companies renting three-wheelers to tourists require the relevant certificate before releasing vehicles, and that Sri Lankan law applies to foreigners who commit traffic or other offences. She maintained that temporary or converted permits support enforcement and constitute an appropriate regulatory framework.
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary The Minister said temporary driving permits issued at Bandaranaike International Airport apply only to cars, vans and motorcycles, not three-wheelers or heavy vehicles, and are intended to support independent and longer-stay tourists. He stated that the current Rs. 2,000 fee set by Gazette would be revised to Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 45,000 depending on duration, after a new Gazette is approved. He added that three-wheeler permits are issued by the Automobile Association of Ceylon under long-standing practice, that Sri Lanka should consider alignment with the 1968 Vienna Convention, and that unlawful vehicle rental operations would be acted against regardless of ownership.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural